Airfoil



April 12, 1938. E. F; ZAPARK'A" v 2,113,910

4 AIRFOIL Original Filed Dec. 1, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 A ril 12, 1938. E. F. Z'APARKA 2,113,910

AIRFOIL Original Filed Dec. 1, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet s April 12, 1938. v E. F. ZAPARKA 2,113,910

AIRFOIL V origin al Filed Dec. 1, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I Patented Apr. 12, 1938 UNITED STATES AIRFOIL Edward F. Zaparka, Baltimore, MIL, assignor to I Zap Development Corporation, Baltimore, Md., a corporation of Delaware Application December 1, 1932, Serial No. 645,294 Renewed December 9, 1936 v 30 Claims. My invention relates to means for increasing the'lift coeflicient of airfoils and to means for effecting a lateral. control of airplanes.

It is an object of my invention to'make more positive and dependable the operation of mechanisms for increasing the lift coefficient of airfoils. A further object of my invention is to make the lateral control of airplanes more definite in action and quicker in response to the pilots actions.

A still further object of my invention is to accomplish the above objects with small weight, and with a mechanism having few parts which are easily repaired and replaced.

may be incident to my improvements, the invention consists in the parts and combinations to be hereinafter set forth and claimed, with the understanding that the several necessary elements comprising my invention may be varied in construction, proportions and arrangement, without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

In order to make my invention more clearly Fig. 2 is a detailed sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a detailed sectional view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2 with the split flap mech- 1 anism in open position.

Fig. 4 is a detail view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the flap mechanism, partly in section, showing a modification of the flap operating mechanism, the flaps being shown in open position.

Fig. 6 is a detail view taken along the line 6-4; of Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. '7 is a sectional view taken on the line l-I of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 7 of a modification in which the positioning of the upper flaps with respect to the airfoil is accomplished by cable control.

With these and other objects in view, which Fig. 9 is a top plan view of a modification of the flap operating mechanism, part of the wing structure being broken away.

Fig. 10 is a view taken along the line Ill-Ill of Fig. 9 looking in the direction of the arrows. 5

Fig. 11 is a detail view taken on line Il-II of Fig. 9 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive and in Fig. '7 one form of my invention. Referring to Fig. 1 I have shown an airplane comprising a fuselage I, rear control surfaces comprising a rudder, a stabilizer and elevators which I have generally designated by the numeral 2, and a motor 3.

Looking down on top of the plane, as indicated in Fig. 1, there is a left hand wing I and aright hand wing 5. There is indicated a pilot seat 6 in the fuselage; The pilot can control the opening of the split flaps by means of a handle I mounted on a sprocket, not shown,.which drives 20 the sprocket chain 8, which in turn drives another sprocket wheel, not shown, mounted on a shaft 9.

Rotation of the shaftil, as will be later described, controls the opening and closing of the split flap mechanism. In front of the pilot is a control stick II which, upon movement to left or right, causes cable I2, which runs to the righthand wing, to be wound or unwound on a drum I3. Likewise, there is a cable It which is wound or unwound on drum I3 by movement of the control stick I I.

The cable Id controls the position of'the flaps with respect to the airfoil on the left hand wing as the cable I2 controls the position of the flaps with respect to the airfoil on the right-hand wing.

The mechanism on the left-hand and righthand wings is identical. The cables I2 and M, in accordance with conventional design, pass over pulleys I5, then over other pulleys not shown, and then over pulleys I6. The cables are then extended to pass over pulleys II, the cables'returning and being joined together as indicated at I8. Upon movement of the control stick II the cables are made to move in each wing 4 and. 5 in the same direction over the various pulley supports. 40 The cable I2 is pivotally attached to one end of a bell crank arm I9 of a bell crank lever which is pivoted at its middle point at 2|. The bell crank lever has. another arm 22 which is pivotally attached to a connecting rod 23 which is pivoted at 24 to an operating arm or horn 25 attached to an upper flap 26 of the split flap construction.

I Upon movement of the control stick II to either the left or right, because of the opposite pivoting of the bell crank levers, the upper flaps directions, thus setting the split flap construction at varying angles on the two wings upon anisms with respect to the air foil'are not changedv and the setting of the flap construction on the right-hand wing 5 will be the same as on the left-hand wing 4. Where, however, it is desirable to effect lateral control, the movement of the control stick II will enable the pilot to cause the lift of one wing to be made relatively greater f as or less than that of the other wing.

It is to be noted that each operating arm or horn 25 is fixedly fastened to the top of the upper split flap member 26 which is provided with interior braces 21 which run between the nose and the trailing edge of the upper flap. There is a bracing spar 26 at the front of the upper flap and a bracing spar 29 at the trailing edge. The upper flap has a support member- 3| at its forward end which is hinged to support 32, carried by the wing proper. The support 32 is mounted on and'attached to a rear wing spar 33.

The wing is provided with bracing members 34 which pass from the rearwing spar 33 to a forward wing spar 35.

There is shown a lower flap member 36 which has a front bracing spar 31 and a rear bracing spar 38 and bracing members 39 between the spars. There is provided a link 4| which is pivoted at 42 to the upper spar at one end and has its lower end pivoted at .43 to an operating head 44. Also pivoted at 43 to the operating head 44 is another link 45. whose other end is pivoted at 46 to the bracing construction 39 of the lower flap member 36. The lower flap member has attached to its forward end a support member 41 which is pivoted on the support member 32 attached to the airfoil proper; 4

The support furnished through the support member 3| for the upper split flap member, and the support member 41 for the lower flap member being pivoted to the support 32 of the airfoil proper, permit the upper and lower flaps to be adjusted in unison with respect to the airfoil proper, and at the same time the relative position of the upper flap and the lower can be regulated as desired.

In Fig. 3 the lower fiap is shown in open position with respect to the upper flap and in Fig. 2 the upper and lower flaps are shown in their closed position. By moving the operating rod 23 through the bell crank and cable connections previously described, both flaps can be moved. The operating head 44 has screwthreaded engagement with the screw threads 48 of an operating rod 49. The forward end of the operating rod 49 is universally connected at 5| to a drive shaft 52 which is journalled in the rear spar 33 of the wing. This universal connection is not described in detail as it is of the well known type. The universal connection is located approximately in line with the hinging of the split flap construction to the wing section. In other words, a line drawn through the'hinge points of the split flap construction with the airfoil proper will pass approximately through the center of this universal connection 5|. This permits the universal connection to operate without catching or binding when the split flap construction is adjusted through the movement of the control stick The drive shaft 52 which is journalled in the rear thus effect a rolling moment,

I 2,113,910 26 on either wing are caused to move in opposite spar 33 is provided with a frustoconical gear 53 which meshes with a frustoconical gear 54 carried by the shaft 9.

Upon rotation of the shaft 9 through operation of the handle 1 from the pilot seat, the similar conical gears 54, w ch engage similar gears 53 fitted at various stations on the wing section,-

cause rotation of the drive shafts 52, and through the universal connections 5| the operating rods 49 are rotated to move the operating heads 44 to cause the links 4| and 45 to open or close the split flaps, as is clearly apparent from Figs. 2

stick I is in the position shown in Fig. 1, in which case by manipulation of the handle I the lower split flap members 36 can be caused to assume a position such as shown in Fig. '7 or Fig. 3. This increases the lift and the dragon the wing section and the lift coefficient for both airfoils is increased. To effect lateral control the control stick may be moved from its position shown in Fig. 1 either to the leftor right, in which case the split flap construction on one wing will be raised or lowered with respect to that of the other wing.

Let us assume that the control stick II is moved to a position to cause the split flap construction on'the right wing to be raised. This will tend to decrease the lift coefficient for that wing at the same time the corresponding flap construction on the left-hand wing has been lowered, which will increase the lift coefficient for that wing and Yawing moments are also produced by the drag of the flaps, which has an'efiect on the maneuverability of the ship.

Referring to Fig. 5, I have shown a modification in which the operating rod 49 has its end remote from the universal connection 5| journalled in a bearing block 56 which is attached to the bracing member 21 of the upper split flap member 26. The operating head 51 is provided with stub shafts 58 to which are pivoted two links 59, the links being held in position on the stub shafts 58 by washers 6| and pins 62 which pass through the stub shafts 58. The operating head 51 is provided with grooves 63 which fit over slide members 64 formed on the bracing members 21 of the upper split flap member 26. The other end of links 59 are pivoted at their ends 65 to a shaft 66 which passes through the bracing construction 39 of the lower split flap member 36. \This construction is provided with washers 61 and pins 66 to hold the links 59 in operative position.

In the construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6, upon rotation of the operating rod 49 the operating head 51 is caused to slide along its support and the links 59 open and close the split flap members.

In Fig. 8 I have shown the uppe'r'flap member 26 provided with an operating arm or horn ll tached to the extremities of the operating arms or horns 25 and H are cables 12 and I3, respectively, which pass through apertures into the interior of the wingproper and around pulleys I4 and 15, respectively, which are attached to the "front wing spar 35. One of the cables 12 for each wing passes over the drum l3 .and the other cable is attached to a similar cable for the corresponding wing. This cable construction permits the pilot, upon movement of the control stick II, to change the position of the split flap member with respect to the airfoil proper, as .is accomplished in the construction previously described and employing a stiff connecting rod 23 instead of cables;

Referring to Fig. 9, I have shown a form of construction in which the operating links, adapted to move the lower flap with respect to the upper flap to open and close the split flap construction, are mounted to pivot on axes which are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage; in other words, at substantially right angle to the axes at pivoting of the links heretofore described. Here the upper flap 26 is controlled as shown in the form of invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7-. The mechanism, however, for opening and closing the flaps with respect to each other is, as above indicated,

different.

Shaft 9, which is caused to rotate through chain and sprocket connections by movement of the handle I of the pilot, carries a bevel gear 16 which engages the bevel gear 11 rotating drive shaft 18, thus causing the universal connection 19 to rotate to cause rotation of a shaft 8! which is supported at 82 on the bracing construction of the upper flap member. The shaft 8| carries a bevel gear 83 which meshes with a bevel gear 84 carried by an operating shaft 85 which is suitably journalled, as indicated at stations 86, on the bracing members of the upper split flap member 26.

The rod 85 is adapted to be rotated and has, at suitable stations thereon, screw threaded sections 81 which engage with interior screw threads on operating heads 88. The operating heads 88 have pivotally mounted thereon links 89 whose lower ends are pivoted at-9l to blocks 92 which are attached by stub shafts 93 to supports 94, suitably mounted on and attached to the lower split flap member 36.

Upon rotation of shaft 9, through the bevel gears 16 and I1 and bevel gears 83 and 84, shaft 85 is caused to rotate, which moves operating heads 88, and through links 89 the lowerflap is caused to move with respect to the upper flap to open or close the split flap construction.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details of construction herein set forth, by way of illustration, as it is apparent that many changes and variations may be made therein, by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention, or exceeding the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A device of the character described comprising an airfoil, split flap members hingedly attached to said airfoil and both movable with respect thereto, link members Without the airstream over the flap surfaces carried by the flap members for opening and closing the flaps, and operating means for the links universally connected at the point of hinged attachment.

2. A device of the character described comprising an airfoil, split flap members, both movable with respect to the airfoil and hinged thereto, a rotatable operating rod, a universal connection for the rod at the hinge point, mechanism op-.

erated by said rod for opening and closing the flaps, said mechanism being without the airstream over the flap surfaces and means to rotate the operating rod.

3. A device of the character described comprising an airfoil, split flap members pivotally supported for motion at the rear of the airfoil and hinged thereto, a rotatable drive shaft, a universal flexible connection operated by the drive shaft having universal movement through the hinge point, and means on the flap members without the air stream over the flap surfaces operated through the rotation of the flexible connection to move the flap members relative to each other.

4. A device of the character described comprising an airfoil, split flap members, both movable with respect to the airfoil and hinged thereto, a rotatable operating rod, a universal connection, forv rotating the operating rod located at the hinge point, members without the airstream over the flap surfaces operating through said rotation thereof to open and close the flap members, and a drive shaft connected to the universal connection.

5. A device of the character described comprising an airfoil, split flap members hingedly attached to said airfoil, both movable with respect thereto, a stiff connection rod operatively .connected to one flap, means to reciprocate the rod, and link members carried by the flap members for opening and closing the flaps, said link members being without the airstream over the flap surfaces.

6. A device of the character described comprising an airfoil, split flap members, both movable with respect to-the airfoil, a stiff connection rod operatively connected to one flap, means to reciprocate the rod, a rotatable operating rod, mechanism without the airstream over the flap surfaces operated by said rod for opening and closing the flap, and means to rotate the operating rod.

'7. A device of the character described comprising an airfoil, hinged split flap members pivotally supported for motion at the rear of the airfoil, a stiff connection rod operatively connected to one flap, means to reciprocate the rod, a rotatable drive shaft, a universal flexible connection operated by the drive shaft, and means on the flap members, operated through the rotation of the flexible connection to move the flap members relative to each other, said means being without the airstream over the flap surfaces.

8. A device of the character described comprising an airfoil, split flap members, both movable with respect to the airfoil, a stiff connection rod operatively connected to one flap, means to reciprocate the rod, a rotatable operating rod, a universal connection for rotating the operating rod, an operating head engaging screw-threads on said operating rod and movable by rotation thereof, links without the airstream over the flap surfaces hinged at one end to the upper and lower split flap members and at their other endto the operating head to open and close the flaps, anda drive shaft connected to the universal connec-,

tion.

9. A device of the character described comprising an airfoil, split flap members, both movable with respect to the airfoil and hinged thereto, a rotatable operating rod, a universal connection for rotating the operating rod located at the hinge point, an operating head engaging screw-threads on said operating rod and movable by rotation thereof, means without the airstream over the flap surfaces engaging said head to open and close the flaps, and a drive shaft connected to the universal connection. I i

10. A device of the character described comprising an airfoil, split flap members, both movable with respect to the airfoil and hinged thereto,

a rotatable operating rod, a universal connection for rotating the operating rod located at the able with respect to the airfoiLa stifi' connection rod operatively connected to one flap, means to reciprocate the rod, a rotatable operating rod, a universal connection for rotating the operating rod, an operating head engaging screw threads on said operating rod and movable by rotation thereof, links without the airstream over the flap surfaces hinged at one end to the upper and lower split flap members and at their other end to the operating head to open and close the flaps, and a drive shaft connected to the universal connection.

12. A device of the character described comprising an airfoil, split flap members, both movable with respect to the airfoil, a rotatable operating rod supportedby and movable with the upper flap only, a universal connection for operating the rotating rod, members operating through said rotation thereof to openand close the flap members, and a drive shaft connected to the universal connection.

13. A device of the character described comprising an airfoil, split flap members, both mov able with respect to the airfoil, a rotatable operating rod supported by and movable with the upper flap only, a universal connection for rotation of the operating rod, an operating head engaging screw threads on said operating rod and prising an airfoil, split flap members, both movable with respect to the airfoil, a rotatable operating rod supported by and movable with the upper flap only, a universal connection for rotation of the operating rod, an operating head engaging screw threads on said operating rod and movable by rotation thereof, a link pivoted to the lower flap at one end and to the operating head at the other to open and close the flap on rotation of the operating rod, and a drive shaft connected to the universal connection to rotate the operating rod. I l5. A device of the character described comprising an airfoil, split flap members, both movable with respect to the airfoil and havingv hinged connection therewith, means to move both flap members with respect to the airfoil, a link fixed to a fixed pivot on one flap, a movable pivot for the other end of the link on the other flap, said movable pivot being capable of movement in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said hinged'connections, and means to move the movable pivot to open and close the flaps.

16. A device of the character described comprising an. airfoil, split flap members, both movable with respect to the airfoil and having a hinged connection therewith, a; rotatable operat-,

ing rod, a universal connection for rotation of the operating rod, a link fixed to a fixed pivot on one flap, a movable pivot for the other end of .the link adapted to move on rotation of the operating rod in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said hinge connections to open and close the flaps.

17. A device of the character described com- 7 prising an airfoil, split flap members hingedly attached to said airfoil and both movable with respect thereto, a stiff connection rod operatively connected to one flap, a bell crank lever having one of its ends connected to one end of the connection rod, means to rotate the bell crank lever to reciprocate the connection rod, and link members carried by the flap members without the airstream over the flap surfaces for opening and closing the flaps.

18.A device of the character described com-' prising an airfoil, split flap members hingedly attached to said airfoil, both movable with respect thereto, a stifl connection rod operatively connected to one flap, a bell crank lever having one of its ends connected to one end of the connection rod, means to rotate the bell crank lever to reciprocate the connection rod, a'rotatable operating rod, a universal connection for rotating the operating rod, members without the airstream over the flap surfaces operating through said rotation thereof to open and close the flap members, and a drive shaft connected to the universal connection.

19. A device of the" character described comprising an airfoil, split flap members pivotally connected to and movable with respect to the airfoil, upper and lower operating arms attached to one of the flap members, cables attached to the arms to operate said flap member, a rotatable operating rod, a universal connection for rotation over the flap surfaces operating through said ro tation thereof to open and close the flap members, and a drive shaft connected to the universal connection.

20. A device of the character described comprising an airfoil, split flap members hingedly attached to said airfoil, both movable with respect thereto, a stiff connection rod operatively connected to one flap, a bell crank lever having one of its ends connected to one end of the connection rod, means torotate the bell crank lever to reciprocate the connection rod, a rotatable operating rod, a universal connection for rotation of the operating rod, an'operating head engaging screw threads on said operating rod and movable by rotation thereof, means without the airstream over the flap surfaces engaging said operating head to open and close the flaps, and a drive shaft connected to the universal connection.

21. A device of the character described com-- prising an airfoil, split flap members pivotally connected to and movable with respect to the airfoil, upper and lower operating arms attached to one of the flap members, cables attached to the arms to operate said flap member, a rotatable operating rod, a universal connection for operation of the operating rod,.an operating head enand movable by rotation thereof, means without the airstream over the flap surfaces engaging said operating head to open and close the flap and a drive shaft connected to the universal connection.

22. A device of the characterdescribed comprising an airfoil, split flap members, both movable with respect to the airfoil and having hinged connection therewith, means to move both flap members with respect to the airfoil, a link fixed to a fixed pivot on one fiap, a movable pivot for the other end of the flap carried by the other flap, a rotating operating rod, a universal connection for rotation of the operating rod, means operating through said rotation thereof to move the movable pivot in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of said hinged connection to open and close the flaps, and a drive shaft connected to the universal connection.

23; A device of the character described comprising an airfoil, split fiap members, both movable with respect to the airfoil and having a hinged connection therewith, means to move both flap members with respect to the airfoil, a link fixed to a fixed pivot on one flap, an operating head to which the other end of the link is pivoted, an operating rod carried by the upper flap having screw threaded engagement with said op erating head, and a drive shaft connected to the universal connection for rotating the operating rod to move the operating head and open and close the flaps.

24. A device of the character described, comprising an airfoil and fiap adapted to be moved below the airfoil and hinged thereto, a rotatable operating rod, a universal connection for the rod at the hinge point, mechanism without the airstream over the fiap surfaces operated by said rod for moving the flap on its hinge point, and means to rotate the operating rod,

25. A device of the character described,.comprising an airfoil, a flap supported for movement below the airfoil and hinged thereto, a rotatable drive shaft, a flexible connection operated by the drive shaft, having universal movement through the hinge point,and means without the airstream over the fiap surfaces on the flap member operated through the rotation of the flexible connection to move the fiap up and down.

26. A device of the character described, comprising an airfoil, a flap located near the rear of the airfoil for movement below the airfoil, a rotatable operating rod which may be held fixed with respect to the flap,

movement on the rod, and a link without the airstream over the flap surfaces joining the operating head and the fiap whereby the flap may be moved upwardly and downwardly.

2'7. A device of the character described, comprising an airfoil, a flap adapted to be moved an operating head for below the airfoil and hinged thereto, a'rotatable operating rod, a universal connection for the rod at the hinge point, a fixed pivot on the flap, a link substantially without the airstream over the flap surfaces pivoted on said fixed pivot, means moved by the operating rod to cause the link to raise and lower the flap, and means to rotate the operating rod.-

28. A device of the character described, comprising an airfoil, a fiap supportedfor movement below the airfoil and hinged thereto, a rotatable drive shaft, 8. flexible connection operated by the drive shaft having universal movement through the hinge point, an operating rod driven through said flexible connection, an operating head on the rod, toggle links substantially without the airstream over the flap surfaces pivoted on the operating head, atleast one of which is pivoted to the flap to move the flap into raised and lowered positions.

29. A device of the character described comprising an airfoil, a flap located near the rear of the airfoil for movement below the airfoil, a rotatable operating rod which may be held fixedwith respect to the fiap, a hinged connection for the fiap near its front edge, an operating head for movement on the operating rod, a link for movement on the operating rod toward and from the hinged connection for the flap, and a link without the airstream over the flap surface joining the operating head and the fiap whereby the flap may be moved upwardly and downwardly.

30. A device of the character described comprising an airfoil, a flap located near the rear of the airfoil for movement below the airfoil, a hinged connection for the fiap upon which it pivots, a rotatable operating rod which may be held fixed with respect to the fiap, an operating head for movement on the rod in a direction substan-.- tially parallel to the axis of rotation of the flap about its hinged connection, and a link without the airstream over the flap surface joining the operating head and the fiap whereby the flap may be moved upwardly and downwardly.

EDWARD F, ZAPARKA. 

